Audible indicating device.



H B. BABNES. AUDIBLE !NUICATING DEVICE. APPLICATION LED feu. 24. 191?.

Patented Dec. 17 1918.

HAROLD B. IBAENES, OF DENVER, COLORAIDO.

AUDIBLE INDICA1ING DEVICE.

Speciflcation of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 17, 1918.

Application flled February 24, 1917. Serial No. 150,736.

T0 all wfiom 2'15 may concern:

Be it known that I, HAROLD BARNES, a citizen of the United States, res1dmg at city and. county of Denver and State of 0010- rado, have invented certain new useful Improvements in Audible Ind1catmg Devices, of which the following is a spemfication.

My invention relates to an improvement in audible indicating devices, and pertams more particularly to the so called snap switch for controlling electric circuits.

With the present great advance in the art of electric heaters and such like dev1ces, .Wherein no light can be seen for the purpose of telling when the current has been turned on, such as is possible With an ord1 nary lamp, it has become important to prov1de a device whereby the snapping of the svntch, not on] makes or breaks the circuit, and as is usua indicates the on or off position, but makes a sound sufiiciently clear and distinct as to enable the operator to tell whether the switch is on or off, even thoughthe switch itself cannot be seen, as when it is in a dark location.

Therefore, one of the objects of my invention is to produce such an audible indicating device, wherein diiferent tone s are produced, as it passes from one position to another.

A further object is in the provision of such a device in which the bell or other sound producer may be used to form the exterior cover for the switch.

Further advantages of my invention will become apparent in the specification and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanyin drawings which form a part of the speci cation,

Figure 1 is a view in perspective showing my invention applied to an ordinary snap switch.

Fig. 2 is a vertical lino 22 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view With some of the parts removed.

Fig. 4 is a view of a. modified form, and

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the hammer and insulatmg means 15.

Fig. 6 is a detail showing the parts 13 and 16.

To the base 1 of an ordinary snap switch is connected a rotatable post 2 Which carries the usual circuit making amas 83 which engage the contact points 44 upon the actuasectional view taken on tion of the snap button 5. To the arms 3-? are rigidly attached tripping posts 6-6 adapted to turn .With the arms.

Mounted on one side of the base 1 is a plate 7, rigidly afiixed. At one end of this plate 7 is ivotally mounted a bell crank lever 8 capa le of oscillation about its pivot, but such action is against the pressure of the spring 8. A hammer 9 is fastened to one and of the bell crank lever, the other end terminating in a hook 10 adapted to be in the path of the tripping posts 6*6. A yoke 11 provided With a 11010 12, is rigidly fastened to the base 1 at 13, 13 and carries a threaded flangcd hollow column 14.

In order to keep the insulated strip 15 in position around the mechanism on the base 1, clamps 16 are fastened to the strap 11. A bell 17 provided With an orifice 18 is supported by the Washer 19 on the strap 11, and is held in position by the nut 20. An opening 15 in the strip 15 permits the hammer 9 to pass through and strike the bell 17.

The stem 5 of the aforementioned snap button 5 passes down through the opening in the column 14 and engages the to of the rotatable ost 2. In the modifie form, shown in ig. 4, I have provided a plurality of bells nested one within the other for use in a multiple point switch, such as can be used in an electric fan.

In this construction the outside bell extends doWn over the base, and a similar bellcrank 8 With its hammer 9 and hook 10 is arranged below the contact mechanism and is actuated by an additional post 6' projecting downwardly from the actuating mechanism. The outside bell in this construction extends over the base and is struck by the lower hammer, both halls being struck giving a signal when the switch is turned on or ofi.

.In the operation of my invention, the snap button 5 is turned and through it the rotatable post 2 and the arms 3,'3 and the rigid tripping posts 6, 6. The arms 3, 3 rotate to the position shown in Fig. 3. When the snap is turned ofl, one of the arms 6 will engage the hook 10 on the bell crank levers 8 an cause same to oscillate about its pivot against the action of the spring 8. This also causes the hammer 9 to be drawn in toward the center of the switch. As the tripping post 6 progresses in its trip to the ofl position, the hook 10 will be ford out of its path, and will slip ofl the rigid tripping post G, permitting the spring 8 to return the bell crank lever 8 to its normal position causing the hammer 9 to deliver a sharp bl0w to the bell 17. This is thus capable of giving a clear reverberating note by means of winch it is ossible to tell whether the swibeh is turne on 01' off, regardless of whether visible means of obtaining such information is resent or absent.

1; is obvious that my invention produces a snap switch which is neat and artistic in a pearance and efficient in action, which des1rable objeccs are produced at a minimum of cost and. labor. It is obvious that many slight changes may be made without departing from the Spirit and scope of my invention, but:

I claim 1.. In an audible indicating device, the comoombination with a base,of a supportingyoke mounted on said base, a rotatable post suspended therofrom, tripping-posts carried thereby, trip-actuated menus mounted on said base and adapted lo be actuated by said tri 3ping-poss, a belLcover mounted on suid yo (e and surrounding meehanism of said device adapted to be struck by Said trip-a0 tuating mechanism upon the actuation of said rotatable post.

2. In an audible indioating devioe, the combination With a base, of a supporting yoke mounted on said base, a rotatable post suspended therefrom, circuit-making means carried by said post, tripposts mounted on said circuit-making means, trip-actuated means mounted on said base adapted to be actuated by said trippost, a bell-cover mounted on said yoke and surrounding the mechanism of said switch adapted to be struck by said tripactuating means upon the aotuation of said rotatable post.

3. In an audible indioating device, the combination with a base, of a supporting yoke tnounted on said base, a rotatable peso suspended therefrom, circuitmaking means carried by said Fost, trip-posts mounted on Said circuit-ma dng means, trip-actuated means mounted on said base adapted tobe actuated by said trip-posc an insulating band provided with an orifice surrounding said mechanism and supported by said yoke, a bell covering mounted on said yoke and surrounding the mechanism of said switch, adapted to be struck by said trip-actuating means upon the actuat1on of said rotatable est.

p 4. In an audible indioating deVice, the combination with a base, of a rotatable post mounted thereon, circuit making means carried by said post, tripping poste mounted on F:ll(| circuit making means, a plate mounted on lhe base, a lever pivotally mounted on said plate, one end of the lever provided with a hook and the o ther With a hammer, a bel] c0ver mountedupon the base and sur rounding the upper part of the switch, adapted to be struck by said hammer upon the actuation of the rotatable postand the consequenttrippi V of the hook on said bell erank lever by sai trippin post.

In testimony whereof I a x my signature.

HAROLD B. BARNES.

Copies of ths patent may be obtained for live cents each, by addressng the Gommissioner o! Patents. Washington, D. G." 

